


Light in a seemingly never-ending tunnel

by S_omber



Category: Tiny Meat Gang (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Oops, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Depression, Tags Are Hard, Team 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 18:46:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19751629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_omber/pseuds/S_omber
Summary: Inspired by this post by elonpleasefuckmywife on Tumblr https://elonpleasefuckmywife.tumblr.com/post/184716835047/tmg-ao3-is-dry-as-hell-use-these-they-could-meet"Noel is part of team 10 and Cody tears into him on a video, and they meet at vidcon" but I changed the way that they meet cuz when I started writing I forgot the last bit, and I don't wanna fix it, I'm already too in love with the story.





	Light in a seemingly never-ending tunnel

**Author's Note:**

> Remember that Cody and Noel have their own respective partners and lives!! This will have more chapters btw

WHATS GOOD JAKE PAULERS!"  
It's time for Noel to wake up, or else Jake will wake him up. He walks downstairs making sure to stay away from the shouting Paul brother in the other room. He makes a cup of coffee and immediately makes his way back to his room. 

He never ever thought that in a million years he would be sitting in the 'Team 10' house or even be a member. But here he is. 

He blames the weed he was smoking the day he signed the contract. If he knew that working for team 10 would be so restricting and down right horrible than he never woulda signed. He sighs facing the fact that he can't change what his life has become

Noel looks at his alarm clock, 10 am on the dot. He has to record a video today. Recording sucks because Noel has to completely change himself, he can't be one way or the other and the content he produces isn't the content that he would like to make.

He got famous from his comedy sketches and he loves doing those. But living with team 10 means sketches with an underlying dark theme, don't really make the cut. But he still makes them, edits and even adds effects. Once he's done doing all of that the video goes in a folder never to be seen. And he's fine with that or at least he tells himself he is.

So the day goes on, Jake does some crazy shit, he does some crazy shit, They go partying and that's it Noel of course films it all and once he's home he edits and posts his 30th vlog. It's tiring, constantly going but his weed pushes him through it. Allowing him to stop going and just relax.

And every single day is like that, Noel waking to Jake shouting, Coffee and a quick xan after he has his panic attack over the fact that he works for team 10, crazy shit maybe a party. Then he goes home and smokes weed in his closet, pushing a towel under the door and blasting a fan towards the window so that no one else in the house knows. 

Sure it might sound like a dream to any 20 or even an 18 year old but he's 25 and sometimes he wants to sleep in till 1 and sometimes he wants to upload his comedy sketches.

But none of that will ever happen as long as he lives under Jake's roof. 

~~~

Noel isn't particularly close to anyone in the house, he'll still film and do shit with them. But he won't open up about his Anxiety or depressive episodes with them. Not like they would care anyways.

So Noel saves those talks for his actual friends who he would much rather live with. Like Aleena and Spock who he's going to Starbucks with today.

He couldn't be more excited to leave the house and get out, on his own terms not forced out to a party by Jake or one of the other members. 

He gets to the Starbucks at 2:33, late. He walks in and orders (Caramel Machiato) and sits down by Aleena and Spock who are intently watching something together on Spock's phone. "Um hello?" Spocks eyes shoot up to him "Sorry man, but fucking look at this!" Spock hands Noel his phone. Which Noel can see is clearly playing a YouTube video. Titled 'Noel Miller' 

The video starts with a guy who has horribly obvious bleach blonde hair. The guy starts saying something about "Team 10" making their members sign their lives away. Then the next line he says makes Noels heart stop "a perfect example of Team 10 making their members sign their life away is Noel Miller." Noel pauses 

"Dude is this like a fuckin, uh what's it called, commentary video on me" Spock nods. Noels heart sinks and hands the phone back to Spock as he hears his name get called.

He goes back to sit down next to them Spock tries to hand his phone back to Noel so he can finish the video but Noel pushes his hand and phone away. "Nah man, I don't really want that shit to ruin us hanging out." Aleena looked at Noel face scrunched up in confusion "What'd you mean?"  
"If I watch the rest of the video, I'm proly just gonna get like hella depressed, and I don't want that to happen." Noel pauses to see if Spock and Aleena get what he's saying, they nod "I just wanna hangout with my friends, aight." Spock and Aleena understood. The rest of the time spent at the Starbucks was perfect for Noel.

But that video kept biting at the back of his mind.

~~~

It's 7:30 and the sun is starting to set. So Noel decides to head home, as much as he doesn't want to. He gets home to the 'Team 10' house. Sulking already as he makes it up the stairs. Finally in his room he locks the door and goes into his closet to "change" really he is just smoking a blunt he hid in a shoebox. And Noel decides that this is the best time to watch the video. He's halfway through his blunt when he pressed play on the video. Eventually turning down his fan when he can't hear the beginning bit he listened to at Starbucks.

"So we're gonna watch and react to a few of "Noel Millers" videos" Noel pauses again and hits the blunt, then he checks who made the video 'Cody Ko' over 3 million subs. Noel had heard of Cody before mostly because Jake Paul basically hates him. Calls him a cyberbully and shit, he even planned to confront Cody but didn't after Noel said "He's not worth your time." And a bunch a sappy shit like that. Noel was gonna watch a few of his videos but eventually forgot about it. 

Noel finally decided to stop stalling and try to finish the 12 minute video. 

~~~

Noel looks at his screen go black, another video threatening to play he turns his phone off. The blunt was burnt out, he can't hit off it anymore. Which he thinks is good because he needs his head screwed on straight in order to digest the video. The video was basically about how Noel looked so sad when he filmed, comparing his content now to his content from Vine, and it also was realllly funny. But despite the funniness the video absolutely tore into him or at least he felt like it did.

Noels stomach sank and the dissociation started. The closet swayed as thoughts of the content he makes being lazy or boring. Then the regret of signing with team 10 hit along with dreams of what his life would've been like had he published his comedy sketches that he's spent so much time on. He probably would've been a stand up comedian, maybe even making commentary videos like 'Cody Ko'.  
He needed to start grounding before this panic attack got too bad. After attempting to ground for only 30 seconds, Noel decides grounding isn't doing shit and just pulls out another blunt blasting his fan on high and pushing another towel under the door.

~~~

Noel wakes up and does his same routine. Coffee while Jake and maybe a few other members yell at a camera somewhere but just close enough that Noel faintly hears it. Last night was shitty he didn't get any footage of whatever Jake was doing or of anything at all. Which means today he needs to film like crazy. 

Noel is brought out of his thoughts by Jake coming over. But he didn't have a camera or camera guy with him. Jake's face was stern which set the mood for the conversation. "Uh what's up dude?" Noel goes to dab Jake up, Jake dabs Noel back. Relief ran through Noel. "I bet you saw the video on you."  
"Yeah I did?"  
"Ok, just a few ground rules for situations like these," Noel nods eagerly "first, 'dont respond' like don't make a tweet about it and don't even think about making a video on it unless I say." Noel nods "Secondly, don't make a single reference to it unless it's for a bit in MY vlog." Noel doesn't nod this time "last, don't go near Cody Ko." Noel is beyond confused at this point. "Why can't I go near em, man." Noel asks "Cause man all he does Is damage everyone's reputation in this house with his bullshit videos." Jake responds then continues "He's just bad news, alright." Noel kinda nods and Jake takes that as his cue to leave.

Noel was a little pissed at the fact that all the 'ground rules' for situations like this weren't put into the contract. Nothing was in the contract about commentary videos being made on members. Noel wanted to actually meet up with Cody and chat ya know, maybe even make a video together showing no bad blood. Then Noel gets genuinely pissed when he realizes that Jake is trying to control him outside of the contract just because he doesn't like Cody. Noel figures that maybe this is in the contract.

He is finished reading through the contract and highlighting things that might be related to his situation.

But NO WHERE in the contract are the 'ground rules' Jake laid down earlier. His blood was absolutely boiling. Noel needed to calm down before making any rash decision in the blight of his anger. He opens his phone and just scrolls through Twitter memes, helping him calm down by laughing. 

~~~

It's 10 pm after another day of just not doing anything besides smoking and Noel is in Cody Ko's Instagram Dms trying to decide what to say. He needs to do something to spite team 10 but not anything that'll get him fired. So he starts conversation with a good ol 

"hey"-thenoelmiller @ 10:03  
"Hey whats up?"-codyko @10:05

Noel was shocked by the fast reply and sat contemplating his next words until he decided on

"I honestly think the vid u made was funny as hell and I'd like to film something with u"-thenoelmiller @ 10:10

Noel anxiously watched his screen as Cody typed 

"for real man I would love to film something with u but ur content u make right now isn't really what I do. Sorry"-codyko @ 10:13

Noel felt like he needed to prove to Cody that he can make the content that Cody makes, he just can't under Team 10.

"I get that but dude I actually make comedy sketches in my free time just don't post em"-thenoelmiller @ 10:19  
"Actually?"-codyko @ 10:20

Noel figures this is the best time to bring up them meeting.

"yeah if we meet up I can show them to u if that isn't too creepy"-thenoelmiller @ 10:23  
"Idk man what if u show up to fight me I know u probably aren't the type, but the vid I made yesterday was pretty mean"-codyko @ 10:26

Noel can only spite Team 10 and Jake Paul with Cody. Because people might dedicate channel's to Jake, but Cody making a single video on him will make Jake's blood boil in a way no other commentary videos get him.

"dude I wouldnt but just to make sure u feel safe we can meet up somewhere public?"-thenoelmiller @ 10:30  
"Ok, does the starbucks in Venice at 10 tmrw work?"-codyko @ 10:32  
"Yeah see ya"-thenoelmiller @ 10:33 

Noel feels good for once, probably the fact that Jake will get so pissed at the colab. After texting Cody, Noel puts out another half assed video. Noel feels good falling asleep and for once feels excited for tomorrow.

That night he dreams for once in a long time about doing a stand-up night, a packed stadium.


End file.
